Arbutus unedo Rubra - Strawberry Tree

Arbutus unedo 'Rubra' is recognisable by its reddish wood and its flowering of bright red-pink. It is of moderate growth and is well suited to small gardens. It produces a long autumn and winter flowering with beautiful vivacity. Its clusters of small bells bloom abundantly, accompanied by round, yellow then red and granular fruits like strawberries. The combination beautifully colours the evergreen foliage. The strawberry tree is undemanding, relatively hardy, and is an excellent source of nectar for bees during the off-season. This Mediterranean plant suits an evergreen hedge, a shrub bed, or even in a large container on a terrace.

The strawberry tree slowly but surely forms a large compact bush. The 'Rubra' variety, a more compact and colourful version than the type, has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Like its native ancestor from southern Europe, it belongs to the large Ericaceae family, which includes heathers and rhododendrons. In fact, it is one of the few members of this family, along with the Mediterranean heather Erica multiflora and its cousin from the Alps E. carnea, that can tolerate limestone soils. This slow growing variety reaches about 2.5 m (8. ft) in height and 2 m (6.7 ft) in width, and up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in open ground. The evergreen, elliptical leaves, 6 cm to 9 cm (2.4 cm to 3.5 in) long, are slightly toothed on the edges, dark green, and shiny on top. The young branches are red and the trunk is adorned with a reddish-brown bark. The pendulous flower clusters are honey-bearing and nectar-bearing, and are a deep pink colour. They measure 7 mm (0.3 in) in diameter and resemble lily-of-the-valley bells. They appear from late summer to winter. One year after flowering, they give way to small yellow, then red, strawberry-like balls, 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. The fruits are edible, but have a rough texture and little flavour. 'Unedo' actually comes from the Latin unum edo, which can be translated as "I eat only one."

Arbutus unedo 'Rubra', hardy down to - 15° C (5° F), grows in well-drained soil, generally rather acidic, siliceous, or even rocky. This bush easily acclimates to the garden, in ordinary soil (even slightly calcareous), provided that drainage is perfect. The 'Rubra' variety is valuable for forming the persistent structure of a small free hedge and makes an unusual subject when placed in isolation. Resistant to most pests and diseases, its only weakness is its relative hardiness, which reserves it, in open ground, for light soils and not too harsh winters.